HARRISBURG – Republican Attorney General candidate John Rafferty released the following statement regarding his victory in the PA GOP Southwest and Northwest Caucus Straw Polls and news that Rep. Todd Stephens has exited the race:

“Today was a great day for the Rafferty for Attorney General campaign and I am very thankful for the support I received,” Rafferty said. “With the strong support I have received so far, I am confident that my campaign will successfully earn the endorsement of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania and win the election this November.

“I want to applaud and thank Rep. Todd Stephens for running a spirited campaign for the endorsement and I look forward to working with him to restore credibility and competency to the Office of Attorney General.”

In the Southwest Caucus, John earned a 31-26 victory and in the Northwest Caucus, John won by a 35-4 vote.

After the Southeast, Central, Southwest and Northwest Caucus straw polls, John Rafferty had built a 162-82 lead.

Senator John Rafferty is the Republican candidate for Attorney General. John represents the 44th District, which includes parts of Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties. John served as a Deputy Attorney General where he worked in the Criminal Law Division where he prosecuted Medicaid Fraud. John’s campaign has been endorsed by a number of influential organizations, including the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association, the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters Association and the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

While excitement over 2016 is already building, there’s good reason to care about what happens in the upcoming election, state Sen. John C. Rafferty Jr. told Berks County Republicans on Thursday.

Saving his candidacy in next year’s state attorney general race for a footnote in his keynote speech at the county party’s fall dinner, Rafferty focused much of his remarks on the offices up this year.”Local government is the backbone of democracy,” he said. “They are the first response team in any situation dealing with the public.”

The Montgomery County Republican, who represents part of southeast Berks, addressed a crowd of about 70 at the Crowne Plaza Reading in Wyomissing.

Rafferty also touted the Republican candidates running for the three statewide appellate courts.And he aired his frustrations with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf over the state budget impasse and Wolf’s issuing a moratorium on the death penalty.”

He ignored both branches of the government that are supposed to be co-equal with him,” Rafferty said of the moratorium. Many elected officials and candidates for local and county offices were in attendance.And three Republican state court candidates also spoke: Paul Lalley, who’s running for Commonwealth Court; Emil Giordano, who’s running for Superior Court; and Mike George, who’s in a seven-way race for an unprecedented three Supreme Court openings.

Berks GOP Chairwoman Bonnie Stock said interest in the county party has surged locally.Local Republicans are excited about this year’s races, but there’s also optimism over 2016, she said. With recent legal troubles surrounding two Democratic row officers – Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane and former Treasurer Rob McCord – and voters’ frustration over the budget impasse, the hope is that Republicans could have an edge in state politics, she said.

“We see an opportunity to get good solid people in,” Stock said.Kane has been indicted for allegedly leaking grand jury information; she maintains her innocence. McCord pleaded guilty in federal court earlier this year to illegally trying to coax campaign contributions for his failed run for governor.The Berks party has been working to energize its members, Stock said.

Carol Bourrie of Mohnton was among the newly involved party members at the dinner. She’s been working on political campaigns for years, starting with that of former President George W. Bush. But more recently, she’s been active in the Berks party’s quickly growing South Region committee. Bourrie said she sees other Republicans taking an interest in the party. Part of the surge is likely due to the upcoming presidential election, she said. But for many, she said, the issues at stake now seem to have struck a chord. “People are now looking at it and realizing the need to get involved and take a stance, make a difference,” Bourrie said. “And it starts on the local level.”